Constance Louise Cleveland

Background

Connie Cleveland, 52, is an Attorney in Fargo and has been with the Cass County State’s Attorney’s Office since 1991, initially assigned in the criminal prosecution division, and currently serving as legal counsel for Social Services. Connie is a UND School of Law graduate.

While at UND, Connie represented District 42 in the North Dakota Legislature for two terms, serving on the Judiciary Committee and the Human Services and Veteran’s Committee.

Also while in Law School, Connie served as a law clerk for Judge Kirk Smith, and an intern with the Grand Forks County State’s Attorney. Following graduation from law school, Connie was a law clerk for Judge James Preece in Minnesota’s Ninth Judicial District.

Connie has also served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Burleigh County, a specially appointed prosecutor in Morton County and Richland County and a Special Assistant Attorney General.

Connie has focused her practice most recently on the protection of children and termination of parental rights for children who are abused and neglected.

Connie has served on the Court Improvement Committee, Juvenile Policy Board, SBAND CLE Committee, and is currently the Vice President of the Cass County Bar Association. Connie has been an adjunct instructor at MSUM since 1996, teaching Criminal Law and Procedure, Business Law and Mass Communications Law.

During her career, Connie has engaged in over fifty criminal jury trials, over forty appeals to the North Dakota Supreme Court and completed termination of parental rights regarding over five hundred children.

Connie and her husband, Ray Bauske, have three children and live in Fargo.

Education

University of North Dakota School of Law - Grand Forks, North Dakota Attended: 1985 - 1988, Degree: Juris Doctor, May 1988

University of Oslo School of Law - Oslo, Norway Summer Law School Exchange Program: 1987 Course Studies: International Law and Human Rights.

University of North Dakota - Grand Forks, North Dakota Attended 1979 -1984, Degree: Bachelor of Science, Secondary Education, May 1984

University of Bergen -Bergen, Norway Sommerkurs for Utlandske Norskstuderende: 1980

ChildProtect: Trial Advocacy for Civil Child Protection Attorneys

National District Attorneys National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse And National Child Protection Training Center

National Conference on Juvenile and Family Law: 2011

National Conference on Domestic Violence: National College of District Attorneys Trial Advocacy: 1995

Serve as member of Cass County Social Service's management team, which is comprised of the six agency managers and the Executive Director. Represent Cass County Social Services in securing legal and physical custody of abused and neglected children and in obtaining involuntary termination of parental rights. This includes twenty­ two appeals to the North Dakota Supreme on child protection issues. Provide legal consultation to four agency units: Administration, Family Services, Economic Assistance, and Adult Services, as requested by the Executive Director of Cass County Social Services and the Cass County State's Attorney. Supervise Social Services Legal Team by preparing budget, allocating work, providing consultation and guidance on cases, developing protocol and procedures for responding to the diverse needs of agency, and providing reports and information on potential issues of concern to the Chief Legal Officer of the County, the Cass County State's Attorney. Provide in-house training to various professionals on legal issues, including state and federal statutes and administrative policies.

Assistant State's Attorney: Criminal Prosecutor (1991 - 1997)

Consulted with law enforcement officers regarding criminal investigations. Reviewed reports from local law enforcement officers to determine appropriate criminal charges. Prepared criminal charging documents and letters declining prosecution. Appeared at Arraignments to notify defendants of criminal charges and recommend conditions of release. Engaged in pre-trial motion practice, negotiations, discovery supervision, and witness preparation. Engaged in bench trials before the County and District Courts. Engaged in forty-three criminal jury trials, including drug offenses, assaults, gross sexual imposition, burglary, theft, DUI, violation of orders of protection, forgery, welfare fraud, and child abuse. Reviewed Presentence Investigation Reports and provided sentencing recommendations to Court. Proposed and pursued funding for VAWA position funded by federal grant. Obtained prope1ty and funds through asset forfeiture actions on behalf of Cass County in criminal cases. Prepared briefs and presented oral arguments to the North Dakota Supreme Court on appeals of convictions in eighteen cases.

Represented North Dakota Department of Human Services in litigation involving children in the custody of NDDHS after successful termination of parental rights and prior to adoption, and to establish authorization for placement of adults pursuant to N.D.C.C. 27-20-30.1.

Minnesota State University Moorhead, Adjunct Faculty, 1996 - Present

Mass Communications Law (MC 401) - August 2008 to Present.Legal Environment of Business (Accounting 304) - August 2005 to December 2007. Minnesota Criminal Law and Procedure (CJ430) -August 1996 to May 2001.

Ninth Judicial District Of Minnesota, Judicial Law Clerk, 1988-1989. Provided research and analysis of issues on cases pending before the Honorable James Preece, District Court Judge and Presiding Judge of the District. Prepared bench memoranda, discussed cases, drafted and edited opinions, attended courtroom proceedings and maintained the County Law Library.

State's Attorney's Office, Grand Forks County, North Dakota 1988, Student Intern. Met with Complainants, drafted criminal complaints and made limited appearances in County Court under the Third Year Law School Student Practice Rules.

North Central District Court Of North Dakota, Judicial Law Clerk, 1987. Provided research and analysis of issues on cases pending before the Honorable Kirk Smith, District Court Judge and Presiding Judge of the District. Prepared bench memoranda and attended courtroom proceedings.

Massee, Leonard & Lindquist - East Grand Forks, Minnesota, Law Clerk. Provided research and analysis of issues on cases for four attorneys, including drafting legal correspondence and documents for civil practice and collections work. 1986

Bar Membership: Supreme Court of the United States of America- Admitted 2003. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals -Admitted 1992. U.S. District Court - Admitted 1989. North Dakota - Admitted 1988.

Ran two successful elections and served two legislative terms in the North Dakota House of Representatives from District 42. Session Committees: Judiciary and Transportation (1985) and Judiciary and Social Services and Veteran's Affairs (1987). Interim Committees: Judicial Process, Law Enforcement and Administrative Rules.